


Respite

by mizface



Category: The Sandman
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-31
Updated: 2011-12-31
Packaged: 2017-10-28 13:18:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/308256
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mizface/pseuds/mizface
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Death stops to check in on her sister</p>
            </blockquote>





	Respite

**Author's Note:**

> written for the 2010 bringthehappy comm on LJ

"They don't understand me, you know," Delirium spoke softly but with great conviction. Her face fell as she continued. "But how can they, when they don't hear the colors I do, or get all tingly when they eat a hummingbird." She cocked her head at an almost impossible angle, waiting for a reply.

Death watched from the shade of a nearby tree as her sister went on conversing with the pile of fall leaves she'd carefully collected and shaped. It had taken nearly an hour for her to get it just so, and Death had marveled at her sister's concentration. It might have saddened some of the others that such focus was spent on creating an imaginary confidante, but Death just sat back, a small smile crossing her lips. It widened when Delirium finally completed the task and twirled about happily, barely keeping from knocking over her new friend.

Delirium giggled and waggled her finger at the leaves, and Death wondered what naughty thing they had just said. As if she knew what her older sister was thinking, Delirium turned to grin at Death, leaning in to whisper something and then nodding at the pile before giving her a saucy wink.

Death felt a tiny spark and looked down to see an ephemeral fish flopping next to her. She deftly scooped it up; it looked like her sister had forgotten that fish needed water to breathe. Again. She lifted the tiny creature to her lips and blew a soft kiss at it, and it relaxed in her hand and then faded. She sighed, reminded that her work was never done.

Looking up to see if Delirium had noticed, she saw that her sister had abandoned her leafy compatriot to dance on the back of a nearby park bench. Multi-colored bubbles floated around her, and what looked to be snowflakes danced with her in time to music only she could hear.

Death stood slowly, brushing the dirt from her hands and clothes. As she approached, Delirium saw her and waved. A mass of glass butterflies suddenly appeared around them both, dazzling in the late afternoon sun.

Death smiled and hugged her sister. "It's always good to see you." And it was, but especially on a day like today, when the traces of her old Self moved in harmony with the new.

Delirium replied in a series of tweets and twitters and a piercing siren's call that shattered the butterflies, scattering their loveliness in shards across the pavement. Delirium clapped her hands over her mouth at that, eyes dancing with mischief.

Death gave her a stern look that she almost pulled off, then kissed her sister’s forehead and let the autumn breeze move her toward her next destination.


End file.
